Cities History
The world's first cities began in the same areas of the hearths of agriculture (see Agriculture and Rural Land Use) for more information about agricultural hearths). There are five urban hearths.
This is a map showing urban hearths. The first five are listed and described to the right. Other areas considered hearths are included on this map. Urban hearths are the origin of urbanization; they are the beginning of cities. Please note that these are not listed in chronological order.
Five Urban Hearths
Mesopotamia, located in the Fertile Crescent, is known as the first urban hearth. It emerged around 3500 BC. The cities in this area often were surrounded by walls, and like today, showed signs of social inequality. The people lived in houses that were very close together, and the poor lived outside city walls. Sanitation in Mesopotamian cities was poor, resulting in disease.
The second urban hearth was the Nile River Valley. 3200bc It is sometimes not considered an urban hearth because people believe that the civilizations diffused from those of the Fertile Crescent. In contrast to Mesopotamia, cities in this region were not surrounded by walls. People who had power were the people who controlled the irrigation system of the Nile River. Those higher on the social ladder had many slaves who built pyramids and tombs.
The Indus River Valley is the third urban hearth that arose in 2200BC. Similar to the Nile River Valley, agriculture diffused into this region from the Fertile Crescent. Cities here appear to have been planned. Although different social classes existed, the houses were about the same size.
Located in present-day China, the Huang He and Wei River Valleys together are the fourth urban hearth, starting around 1500 BC. Just like the other cities, they also built walls around themselves. The people of the cities resemble the Egyptians. Similarly, they built large structures to show their power, like The Great Wall of China, and had many slaves.
Emerging about in 200 BC, the fifth and last urban hearth was Mesoamerica. These cities were religion-focused and often have thocratic governments. The Maya Indians are an example of the people who lived in these cities.
Ancient Greece and Rome Impact
Ancient Greece had over 500 cities, with its largest cities having populations over 250,000. Athens and Sparta were Greece's two major cities and were major players of trade along the Mediterranean. Although they had public places for markets like Mesopotamian cities, they were not crowded. Ancient Greek cities were also centers of entertainment, hosting plays. Despite these positives, there were negatives of living in these cities, which include poor housing quality and poor sanitation. Keeping the tradition of older cities, Ancient Greece used the work of slaves.
The Acropolis at Athens represents the urban landscape of the city. Over 3000 years ago, the people of Greece came here for trade, communication, and entertainment. The structures were built by slaves.
Roman cities were the largest of all. They had settlements of many sizes, from small villages to huge cities. The transportation network was thorough, promoting trade by sea routes and roads. Through diffusion, the Roman's adopted the urban landscape of the Greeks, which included grid-patterned cities. They also adopted the Greek's entertainment, such as theater and mythology.
Urbanization diffused from Greece to Rome, and from Rome to the western world. The urban landscape of Washington, D.C. resembles that of the Greek and Roman cities.
Second Urban Revolution
Following the Second Agricultural Revolution, also called the Industrial Revolution, the Second Urban Revolution occurred. Industrial cities were focused on manufacturing products. The factories called for poor living conditions in these cities. Overcrowding, water pollution, air pollution, and street pollution are just some of the environmental hazards. Workers did not have it any better since they had long hours, long work weeks, and overall unsafe workplaces. Industrial cities eventually improved workers' rights (to an extent), and began to use city planning and zoning laws. Like the European industrial cities, American industrial cities faced the same problems. Half way in the twentieth century, factory driven cities began to decrease causing rust belts. The result of the Second Urban Revolution caused those who define what is "urban," and what is not, to include employment as a part of the criteria.
The world's first cities began in the same areas of the hearths of agriculture (see Agriculture and Rural Land Use) for more information about agricultural hearths). There are five urban hearths.
Five Urban Hearths
Mesopotamia, located in the Fertile Crescent, is known as the first urban hearth. It emerged around 3500 BC. The cities in this area often were surrounded by walls, and like today, showed signs of social inequality. The people lived in houses that were very close together, and the poor lived outside city walls. Sanitation in Mesopotamian cities was poor, resulting in disease.
The second urban hearth was the Nile River Valley. 3200bc It is sometimes not considered an urban hearth because people believe that the civilizations diffused from those of the Fertile Crescent. In contrast to Mesopotamia, cities in this region were not surrounded by walls. People who had power were the people who controlled the irrigation system of the Nile River. Those higher on the social ladder had many slaves who built pyramids and tombs.
The Indus River Valley is the third urban hearth that arose in 2200BC. Similar to the Nile River Valley, agriculture diffused into this region from the Fertile Crescent. Cities here appear to have been planned. Although different social classes existed, the houses were about the same size.
Located in present-day China, the Huang He and Wei River Valleys together are the fourth urban hearth, starting around 1500 BC. Just like the other cities, they also built walls around themselves. The people of the cities resemble the Egyptians. Similarly, they built large structures to show their power, like The Great Wall of China, and had many slaves.
Emerging about in 200 BC, the fifth and last urban hearth was Mesoamerica. These cities were religion-focused and often have thocratic governments. The Maya Indians are an example of the people who lived in these cities.
Ancient Greece and Rome Impact
Ancient Greece had over 500 cities, with its largest cities having populations over 250,000. Athens and Sparta were Greece's two major cities and were major players of trade along the Mediterranean. Although they had public places for markets like Mesopotamian cities, they were not crowded. Ancient Greek cities were also centers of entertainment, hosting plays. Despite these positives, there were negatives of living in these cities, which include poor housing quality and poor sanitation. Keeping the tradition of older cities, Ancient Greece used the work of slaves.
Roman cities were the largest of all. They had settlements of many sizes, from small villages to huge cities. The transportation network was thorough, promoting trade by sea routes and roads. Through diffusion, the Roman's adopted the urban landscape of the Greeks, which included grid-patterned cities. They also adopted the Greek's entertainment, such as theater and mythology.
Urbanization diffused from Greece to Rome, and from Rome to the western world. The urban landscape of Washington, D.C. resembles that of the Greek and Roman cities.
Second Urban Revolution
Following the Second Agricultural Revolution, also called the Industrial Revolution, the Second Urban Revolution occurred. Industrial cities were focused on manufacturing products. The factories called for poor living conditions in these cities. Overcrowding, water pollution, air pollution, and street pollution are just some of the environmental hazards. Workers did not have it any better since they had long hours, long work weeks, and overall unsafe workplaces. Industrial cities eventually improved workers' rights (to an extent), and began to use city planning and zoning laws. Like the European industrial cities, American industrial cities faced the same problems. Half way in the twentieth century, factory driven cities began to decrease causing rust belts. The result of the Second Urban Revolution caused those who define what is "urban," and what is not, to include employment as a part of the criteria.
Citation
1. De Blij, H.J., Alexander B. Murphy, and Erin H. Fouberg. "Urban Geography." Human Geography: People, Place, and Culture. Eighth ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2007. 257-99. Print.
2. Urban Hearths. Photograph. Richard's Harwood's Courses. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. <http://facweb.bhc.edu/academics/science/harwoodr/geog105/study/IMAGES/hearths.gif>.
3. Athens Acropolis. Photograph. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 5 Jan. 2012. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Athens_Acropolis.jpg>.
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